I have recently read that the LS on my xlt 4x4 uses a friction clutch and that means unlike the torsen this one will have to be serviced a few times during the life of the truck . I am wondering if anyone has a rough estimant of how often i should check to see if it needs serviced and how i go about testing it ? i know i can do a burn out and look to see if it leaves two skid marks but is there another way ? how exactly do i decide if i have the 8.8 rear end ? If i do have the 8.8 i was looking at getting the detroit locker limited slip. what might i expect to pay for installation of another LS? i'd also like to upgrade to LS or a selectable locker in front . what are some option for the front and what might that cost me ? I am on a budget and want to keep things as close to stock as possible.

 

on the diff, there is a tag, it has numbers on it and letters.. myne says 3l5588 i think... that means i have a 8.8 rear end, 3.55 gearing and a limeted slip differential.. post up what the tag says and people will be more then happy to tell you what you got.. i just service myne and im at 89k and myne is 14 years old, and everything was fine in there.... just washed it with solvent added the l/s fluid, and filled it with gear oil...

 

All 2005 4x4's have the 8.8 axle. Your Traction Lok will give you many miles of trouble free service unless you abuse it and/or use it very heavily off road. It is a good combination of traction and smooth road behavior. Read the Scheduled Maintenance Guide that came in your owner's manual packet for service info.



What Ford says about replacing axle lube in my 2003 SMG:

-General street use: "lubricated for life"
-Police or taxi use (LOL): 100,000 miles
-Normal trailer or rooftop carrier conditions: 60,000 miles
-Severe trailer tow conditions at high ambient temps: 3,000 miles.
-Any time the axle has been submerged.

Personally, I don't buy the "lubricated for life" interval and would change the diff fluid at least every 50,000 on the street and more often if the truck sees a lot of off road or trailer tow use.

 

I was about to ask this same question, with a twist. Without a visual inspection, or without doing a peg-leg burnout, are there any recommendations on when to change the clutch packs in the LS differential?

I'm in the same boat with Dave: 4.10s, 8.8, L/S. I don't recall for sure, but I don't think the Scheduled Maintenance Guide covers clutch packs in the L/S diff.

Anyone have any recommendations?

 

There is no service interval. A Traction-Lok needs to be rebuilt when the L/S performance starts to drop off. Keeping the fluid fresh should promote longer life but eventually it will fade. It's like asking how long a clutch and pressure plate will last in a manual truck - just a matter of time/miles and how it's used/abused.

 

A friend had a 99 with trac-lok he would do burn outs in it all the time. the clutches wore out fairly quickly in 8k he put on it. so it had to be rebuilt. he got it with 35k and the previos owner was a painter, dunno if he abused it.

 

my truck sees aproximately 1,000 miles off road for every 15,000 on the pavement. I get into some pretty rough stuff for a stock truck but I rarely spin a tire. i'm thinking i'll just avoid donuts and controled drift in 2wd. It is going to see enough abuse crawling in 4x4.

 

I didn't think there was a standard service interval. For the light off-roading and occasional towing that I do, 100,000 might be a good time to check the performance of the L/S. I'll just wait for that 100,000 miles, then see if I can lay one or two strips!